


Reverse Falls

by BatmanLove394



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reverse Falls, Animal Death, Bill isn't named Will, Blood Magic, Chains, Dissection, Eye Trauma, Heavy Angst, Human Sacrifice, Imprisonment, Intense Violence, M/M, Morbid, Murder, Reverse BillFord - Freeform, Torture, Triangle Bill Cipher, Unethical Experimentation, basically dont read if youre squeemish, basically ford betrays bill, bill was in love with him and stanford used that, most of the tags are for later chapters, my own take on reverse falls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-08-29 23:35:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16753609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatmanLove394/pseuds/BatmanLove394
Summary: I loved the concept of Reverse Falls since I adore role swaps but I didn't like a lot of what has been put in the AU so I wrote my own take on it.It all started with a pair of twins. Stanley and Stanford Gleeful.





	1. Monsters Are Made, Not Born

It all started with a set of twins.

“ I’m sure this party is gonna be dumb, Ford. Don’t look so bummed out about it. ” Stanley gave his brother a light punch on the shoulder as he got dressed in a light turquoise suit. Their mother had bought it specifically for the occasion, wanting nothing more than perfection at this event. Caryn Gleeful was a strict woman, her care more focused towards appearances than anything. That was why she refused to let her other child join, for what sort of reputation would they have if others found out she’d birthed a freak of nature? For all the world knew, Stanley was an only child.  

Stanford looked at his brother, the frown on his lips remaining through his twin’s attempts at trying to cheer him up. All his life he’d been called a freak by everyone, save for Stanley and their father. Filbrick Gleeful was more relenting with the twins, more often than not having arguments with his wife in which he would tell the woman she was treating them wrong. He was a kind man who did everything for them, but at the end of the day he didn’t have a final say in the way things worked.

“ I wish mother would let me exist. I didn’t ask to be born a freak. ” Ford spoke up finally, his voice quiet as watched his brother prepare.

Stan would have none of his twin’s degrading of himself. He pulled the other into a hug. “ Hey, you aren’t a freak! You’re unique, bro bro. Don’t let what mom says change that, dad and I know you’re one of a kind. Real smart, too. ”

Although he wasn’t allowed to attend school since he wasn’t supposed to exist, Stanley brought him books and notes on the lessons of the day. It was soon revealed which of the twins was smarter, with Ford helping his brother to pass his classes. They worked as one, both happy that no one found out their scheme. It would be hell if someone did.

“ Thanks, Stanley… Go. Enjoy the party. ” Ford had finally gave in, offering his brother the tiniest of smiles.

When he was alone, however, his expression turned cold as ice. It was depression that this treatment brought him, but anger. Anger at his mother for being such a bitch, anger at his twin for being born the perfect son, anger at his father for doing nothing about the situation, anger at the world for teasing him with a high life and not allowing him to grasp it. He’d show them all just how brilliant he was. He’d laugh in their faces when he was on top and they were begging him for forgiveness.

Yet that would take time. For now he could only sit in their shared room- the mansion had plenty of rooms, but he preferred to stay with Stanley- and think on his revenge. Soon he became engulfed in his own thoughts, eyes staring at a wall as the time ticked on.

He was only dragged back into reality when a sudden thud rang out, making the boy jump. Turning his attention towards the sound, his head tilted when he saw what had made it. A little bird was unmoving at the windowsill save for a few twitches of its leg. Ford made his way over, opening the window and scooping up the poor animal. Fingers dances across the thing’s feathers, moved under its wing and lifted it. Lifeless…

Interesting.

He’d never seen something dead. The way a glossy look was covering its eyes, the way warmth was slowly exiting its body. Its lack of a heartbeat.

Ford wanted to know more about this phenomenon.

First he’d have to find something sharp. He scrambles around the room for a good few minutes before deciding to break a picture and use a shard of glass from that. Then it was immediately back to the carcass, merely examining it for a while before the glass is plunged into its body and raked down its middle. He tugs the tissue back so he can see its insides, eyes suddenly shining with wonder.

The dissection lasts around an hour, but it felt much shorter to Ford. Time seemed to tick by when one was having fun. Yet it couldn’t continue on. There was a mess to clean up and who knows when Stanley would sneak away from the party and into the room to tell updates. With a sigh of annoyance, he draws himself away from the bird and takes his time to dispose of the evidence.

It was the start of his morbid curiosity.

* * *

As time went on, Stanley was praised more and more for his schoolwork while Stanford helped behind the scenes. Ford would take whatever research he could get, mostly with insects at the window. He wanted more, jealousy rising in him when one day his twin brother came home with disgust at their recent assignment in high school; dissecting a frog. Why couldn’t the real genius do that? Anger rose in him when senior year’s science fair was in the distance, but it soon changed into determination. He had a plan.

Ford was tired of staying in his brother’s shadow. Tired of being the good for nothing twin. If he revealed the truth and showed his brilliance that day, surely his mother would have to realize the wrong she’d done. Surely she’d finally see him as her son. Surely the world would accept him.

He got to work.

It was brilliant. A perpetual motion machine ! In theory it should be impossible, but he’d done it anyway. Now to reveal his beautiful creation to his twin and tell him of his plans.

Stanley had known that his brother was traveling down a dark path. He’d caught him the very first day so many years ago when his hands were dirty and plucking out different organs from a dead bird. Part of him didn’t want to know whether his brother had killed it or not just to experiment with its body, but the other part desperately wanted to be sure his twin wasn’t that insane.

As they grew older he could tell there was resentment building in Ford, but he knew it was fair. If the tables had been turned he would be on the same page. Yet desperation to save him from this path kept Stanley with him, cheering him on despite what he knew was going on. Maybe with a bit more love his destiny could be changed.

When he heard the plan to reveal everything, he was on board. Maybe this was how to save Stanford’s soul! Maybe this was how he could get him on the right track! If there was going to be at least one person in their family that wasn’t good for nothing, it was going to be the one who deserved it most. It was going to be Ford.

For Stanley had his own secrets. At home he was well behaved and well mannered, but at school he hung with the ‘bad’ crowd. He’d gotten himself addicted. He only stayed at that stupid place for his brother’s sake, but during lunch and at after school clubs he was back on his bad habits.

Maybe their family could be saved with this honest reveal.

“ Ford, you’re a genius. Let’s do it, bro! ”

“ I’m glad you’re on board, Stanley. I couldn’t do this without you. High six? ” Ford held up his hand, a smile wide on his face.

Stanley slapped his own against his brother’s, laughing. “ High six. Come tomorrow, the people will know the name of Stanford Filbrick Gleeful! ”

…

Everything had gone according to plan. Stanley hid his brother in a large overcoat and let him wander around the science fair. The perpetual motion machine was working just as it should, proudly displayed for all to see. A crowd was around it in awe, a college school board now inspecting it.

“ This is a work of pure genius, Stanley Gleeful! We’d be honored to have you attend our-” A man in a suit was about to put a check mark next to his name, but he was interrupted.

“ Thanks, man, but I didn’t do this. ” Stan looked smug as he heard the gasp throughout the crowd. “ The real genius… is my brother. ”

That was Ford’s cue. He made his way between the crowd, shedding the outfit and hat that had hid him and stood with a large smile next to his twin. Finally he would be recognized. Finally he wouldn’t have to watch the clock for hours on end waiting for Stanley to return home so he could learn. Finally he’d be able to live life like a normal-- !!

“ What’s wrong with his hand?! ” “ That’s a Gleeful? No wonder he was kept secret! ” “ What a freak! ”

Ford froze at the whispers, his fingers clenching into fists as his face warmed up. This shouldn’t be happening. Hadn’t they just been in awe of his creation? Six fingers wasn’t even that bad! What was wrong with people? Why couldn’t they just see him?! He begins to step back, trying to get away, needing to get away, he was suddenly so hot and everything was too bright and--

CRASH.

Silence swept across the room.

“ Ford-- ”

He turned at his brother’s voice, at the sound, eyes trailing from a look of shock on Stanley’s face to the ground where his machine was broken, smoke rising from it. This was- it wasn’t- how could-- No, no, no, no, no!

Suddenly he was running, ringing in his ears as he pushed past people. Ran until he was out of breath and ran some more. Ran until he was in a familiar spot. Ran until he hit someone and fell down, moving backwards with wide eyes.

“ You little freak! You went outside?! Who saw you? What did you do?! ” His mother’s voice. Surrounding him. Drowning him. Nowhere to run anymore. Trapped, trapped, trapped. Always trapped!

A wheezing Stanley flung open the door and tried to talk between breaths. “ Mother, don’t. Let me explain, please. Ford is brilliant, he made the machine I showed you, we just wanted the world to know who-”

A piercing shriek. “ YOU! ” Ford was being shaken, but nothing was registering to him except echos of the words he’d heard. “ You think anyone else would have kept you, you worthless thing?! I gave you a home, let you live with your brother. I fed you, gave you clothes, a roof over your head, and you do THIS?! Get out before you cause this family any more hardships. I have to clean up this mess. ”

“ Mother, Ford didn’t-- ” Stanley tried.

Caryn wouldn’t listen. “ Another word and you’re out, too. ”

Silence. Stanford finally realized what was going on. He scrambled backwards, cool air from the open door hitting him. If she thought that she could separate them then she was sorely mistaken! Rage finally got to him, making him stand. “ Stanley, let’s get out of here. ”

…no reply came.

“ Stanley? ” Ford turned his attention in the direction of his twin who had tears running down his face.

_I can’t do it. I wouldn’t survive out there. I need this house. I need a future._ Stanley began to back up. _I’m so sorry, Ford. I’m a coward. I’ve always been the good for nothing twin, not you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry._

“ Stanley! ” A shout leaves the six-fingered brother as he watches the other turn and flee up the stairs. Stanford is shoved out the door by his mother, the door slamming in his face. He stared at it, mind going blank as he tried to register what had just happened.

His heart turned to ice.

“ Fine! You’ll all pay! Watch your backs!” He screams the warning at the top of his lungs, rage and a thirst for revenge burning inside him. The last person he expected to wrong him was Stanley. What sort of world was this?! Ford was going to watch it burn one day.

He turned on the mansion and made his way out into the night.


	2. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stanford tells his plans to Stanley after inviting him back at a chance of redemption.

Stanley didn’t know what to do. His father had passed, his brother was gone, and his mother was worse off than ever after the whole Stanford fiasco. Their family had been shunned, money the only thing keeping them from doing time. His heart was growing black. Why couldn’t his twin have just stayed in his shadow? He knew their idea wouldn’t work, why had he let it happen? Another, less intense thought burned inside him… why had he been a coward and not followed his brother? 

There were many sleepless nights. He missed having someone to talk to. He worried about his brother. He hated Ford for going and messing up their life, but he hated himself for blaming his twin and for abandoning him. Stanley couldn’t decide which to feel. 

It was years before the letter had come. Just a simple postcard with the words ‘ visit me ’ and signed by his twin brother. Was this his chance at redemption? Could he make up for what he’d done? Stanley felt himself growing excited. They could be a family again! 

He made his way to Gravity Falls. 

Years had been spent studying the paranormal. It was the only thing that brought Stanford comfort, and dissecting his subjects always made him smile. By now he had three journals dedicated to these anomalies, but his studies were put on hold while he worked on a project. A portal that could bring the most interesting of all his research to the world.

He’d met Bill Cipher three years before this. The man had come across some strange inscriptions about a muse that helped all he came across. What sort of scientist would he have been if he hadn’t decided to read them aloud? Nothing had happened at first, but when he’d slept he had met the muse. A soft blue triangle with one eye who was glad to help him when he said he wanted to build a portal to open his world to different dimensions. 

Yet the creature had gotten wind of his true plans, and Stanford had to act quickly before the muse left for good. His partner had already gotten sick from a failed experiment and had to quit working on the machine, he couldn’t do this project alone- not to mention he refused to let something so powerful escape him. After much research on the subject, he had a spell that would bind the muse to his mindscape. He’d written it down in the second journal, but the damn thing called for a set of TWINS. 

He needed Stanley.

The postcard was sent out immediately. 

When his brother got there, Stanford had to resist the urge to kill him where he stood. Seeing him only brought up the memories of being betrayed, of being in his damn brother’s shadow. Maybe this would be his twin’s one chance at redeeming himself in his eyes. 

Stanford explained everything- how he needed to capture the muse, what the portal would actually bring. He offered the journals for Stanley to see the design of the portal throughout each page.

Stanley was horrified at the tales being told to him. His brother wanted to bring death and destruction to the whole world! He had to talk Stanford out of this. There had to be some part of him that was still good. _You did this. It’s your fault he never got better._ He couldn’t let his own negative thoughts stop him.

“ Stanford, this is mad! What about me? Shermie? I- I’m sorry I didn’t go with you, okay? That doesn’t give you the right to kill the whole world! ” Stanley objected, holding tightly onto the journals.

“ Shermie?! We barely know anything about him! He lived with our grandparents all our lives! And you… you, Stanley… ” Ford was tempted to say he woudn’t care if he died, that if he didn’t do this then he’d kill him himself, but… well. He still loved his brother. Pettiness took hold of him. “ I’d find a way to let you live, and we’d rule the world. You think I would abandon you like you did me? ” 

Guilt rose in the other twin. “ I… ” 

Before he could talk, Ford began to activate the portal. Stanley shook his head. No, no he couldn’t let this happen. He took out a lighter and went to burn one of the journals. That caught his brother’s attention. Stanford jumped at him, knocking the books to the ground as they rolled on the floor. It was a tangle of arms and legs, until they were up and punching, kicking. It took them into the lab. Stanford shoved his twin hard, causing Stanley to burn against one of the machines and cry out. A look of malice overcame Ford’s face as he neared, ready to burn him again, but Stan punched him away. He was angry now. He kept pushing him, farther and farther, until he saw the caution line and stopped. 

He could push Ford into his own creation… he could save the world… 

It was his one chance at redemption. Not from his brother. He realized through the fight that he’d never gain that, but maybe in the eyes of the world he could be saved. 

“ I’m sorry. ” Stanley shoved him past the line. 

Stanford’s eyes shot wide as the portal began to tug him in. What had his brother just done?! Didn’t that idiot know he would probably never come back?! “ Stanley, Stanley the rope! Help me! ”

Stanley glanced over at the rope his twin was wildly gesturing to. He stood still. 

“ Stanley, please! Don’t-- ” His arm was in the portal now. He screamed out. “ _ **STANLEY!** _”

A blast burst from the machine as it broke down with Stanford inside, his twin looking at the three journals on the ground with a frown. He had to hide them so no one could ever do the same as Stanford had. 

As he walked away from the lab, tears ran down his cheek. His burn felt even horrible. His heart even worse.


	3. Thirty Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new set of twins begins their reign.

When Stanley had gotten the news that his great niece and nephew’s parents had been murdered he instantly took them in. Those poor kids… they’d been found on the porch holding onto each other, inside their home their chopped up family. There were rumors that it had been those two who had done it, but Stanley knew by the looks of their distraught faces when they moved in with him that this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

He did his best to help them, but the pair mostly secluded themselves. Maybe it was for the better. His own family had fallen apart, and it was his fault. If he didn’t get close to Mabel and Mason, perhaps there could be a better outcome. 

It’s a few months before the twins are acting normal again, and only two months later they suggest a way that will help them deal with the trauma better; through the arts. It’s easy enough to set up. A tent near the mansion where shows can be put on. It would take some time to get it up and running, but at least he had the children smiling and working on something. 

* * *

“ What the-- ” Mason blinks in surprise when he sees that being knocked into a painting brought him to a hidden room in the mansion. Mabel, the one who’d pushed him during their fight, entered through the hole and gasped. This place was full of weird things. Cages with skeletons in them, jars that held strange liquids, and a desk where a dusty journal that had the number two on a six fingered cutout of a hand.

The twins looked at each other before grinning and dashing to different corners of the room. Mason went to the journal, while Mabel went to a stack of boxes and searched through them. 

“ This journal is full of spells, Mabel! ” Mason yelled as his sister kept up her search. The boy continued, “ Wow… how to summon a demon, the location of two powerful amulets, healing spells, love potions… ” 

Mabel turned her head at hearing that. Seems she lost interest in the boxes and made her way to the clear winner of this search for mystery items. Leaning in close, she read the pages with her brother as he flipped them.

“ Do you know what this means? ” She asked with a smile, but without waiting for the other’s answer she commented “ We can make our show real! That’s sure to bring more people, and we can continue the plan easier. ” 

Nodding in agreement, a smile crosses Mason’s face. “ We can finally have the power we’ve dreamed of. ” Glancing back to the journal, he taps his chin. “ Which should we do first? The amulets or the demon? I’m interested to see how we can use such a thing.”

Without wasting a moment, Mabel responds “ The amulets, duh. We need powers if we’re going to summon a demon, Mason! ”

His sister always did have it her way. Guess they were going to use the journal to find those amulets, then see what this demon was all about. 

Mason copied down the location on a separate paper that he gave to Mabel, then they made their way to the location. All the while he had his head stuck in the journal, reading about how the author had discovered everything and how the power of this mysterious demon could be used. It was so much deeper than he’d thought! Whoever wrote this had been planning to trap the thing to the mindscape, but it seems they’d never gotten the chance. 

It was only when Mabel was prodding his side that the boy looked up; they had arrived at their destination. This was like something out of a comic book. Different objects were levitating- trees, rocks, the occasional squirrel- and in the middle of it were two glowing amulets. The twins exchanged glances before racing over and taking them. Mabel put hers in her hair on a headband, Mason put his on his shirt collar. 

They spent the day practicing magic. When nightfall came, it was time to head back to the mansion. 

Upon arriving, Stanley rushed to them and took a few steps back when he saw something familiar. One of the journals. The twins had found the second one. Damn it, thirty years and he’d forgotten that he hid one in the mansion! At least it was just one. What harm could they do with one journal? All Stanford’s plans had been scattered among the three. And what were those new additions to their outfits?

“ Kids. ” He starts, but they just walk past him. Stanley pondered following them, but… what harm could kids do? 

Mabel and Mason made their way back into the secret room. There, they began to set up a summoning circle. It must be foolish to do this, they haven’t even perfected the magic they’d just been granted and they already want to dabble in darker arts? But they’re determined, and they aren’t patient. If this didn’t work, Mason had read that they wouldn’t be touchable. Not outside the mindscape, and if this demon wanted to invade their dreams there were precautions for that, too. 

It was time to summon and capture Bill Cipher. 

“ Egassem sdrawkcab egassem sdrawkcab egassem sdrawkcab! ” Mabel chanted while Mason said his own spell. One to keep the demon tied to them. “ Ecnetnes ykoops ecnetnes ykoops ecnetnes ykoops! ” 

The world began to turn gray. Time itself seemed to stop. The candles they’d laid out and lit were extinguished and the two backed away as a triangle appeared in the middle of the room, engulfed in flame, before the creature popped into existence. A blue triangle with a tophat and bowtie. If they hadn’t been in shock they’d laugh. THIS was supposed to be an all powerful demon? He looked like a blue corn chip!

The creature slowly began to look around. He seemed to recognize this place, eye going wide and gaze falling on the twins. Was that relief in that eye? Who had he been expecting? 

Mason stepped forward. “ Bill Cipher. ” He greets with a smile “ My name is Mason, and this is my sister Mabel. You’ll be seeing a lot of us. Let’s cut right to the chase… ” The boy holds up the journal he’d found. That makes the creature stiffen, his eye lighting up in recognition. “ You’ll be serving us now. ”

Bill narrowed his eye, and began to speak. The creature didn’t need a mouth, his words coming out like an echo shared between minds. “ You two are Gleefuls. I should have known… this is powerful stuff you’re messing with, kids. You don’t want to do this. ” But as he said it blue chains appeared around his tiny wrists, making him glare. 

“ I think we’re more than capable of handling ourselves. Now you’re going to do what we tell you, when we tell you. ” Mason grinned. He liked the idea of having a servant that could give them anything they wanted. 

Mabel joined in. “ You can start with helping us with our show. ” 

“ Show? ” Bill inquired. At least it wasn’t anything too bad. He had time to think of how to get out of this mess. 

The twins glanced at each other with a smile. Mabel spoke up again. “ I want costumes. ” She hummed, picturing it in her mind. But before she could continue, the creature was laughing. Both siblings glared, but they didn’t speak up, merely waiting for Bill to explain himself. 

“ I’m a demon of the mindscape, kids. I can’t just grant wishes like a genie. Not unless I enter your realm and---” 

“Then we’ll get you into our realm.” Mason interrupted. 

Bill’s eye went wider. Of course he wanted to be in this dimension, he wanted to help it advance. That’s what a muse did- they had it all wrong. He was no demon. He was a being that helped the world. But if he was under their control when he entered the dimension… “ No. That’s impossible.” He spoke up, softly. Unsure. 

“ We’ll find a way. In the meantime, welcome to the family.” Mabel giggled. 

The muse looked at the pair with something in his eye that hadn’t been there since… well, thirty years ago. Fear. If these two were anything like someone he knew long ago, he was going to have a bad time. Welcome to the family, indeed. 


End file.
